STEAM based learning through Contemporary Art and Ecology

Brandon Ballengée’s Love Motel for Insects and Amy Youngs’ Holodeck for House Crickets are great examples of how contemporary art has the ability to enhance a K-12 curriculum that focuses on STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Mathematics) learning. Love Motel for Insects (2001-ongoing) is a public art installation raising awareness about local ecosystems by connecting humans and nocturnal anthropods in a symbiotic relationship. The nocturnal insects are attracted by UV lights, creating a performative scene when the sun goes down. These ‘social sculptures’ bring humans and insects together in an intimate setting and offers a unique opportunity to witness tiny and often elusive organisms in action. Ballengée accompanies these installations with talks and workshops for individuals and groups of all ages.

Holodeck for House Crickets from Amy Youngs on Vimeo.

Holodeck For House Crickets (2005) was a whimsical installation that envisioned what life is like for house crickets by re-presenting them in an eco-friendly environment inside of a glass terrarium that simulates the cricket’s desired natural environment. These house crickets were originally bred in a climate-controlled laboratory to be sold in pet stores as food for reptiles. These crickets could not return to their natural environments because the environment outside of the laboratory was not conducive to their wellbeing. Youngs wondered where these domesticated crickets would choose to live if they had the choice and created an interactive installation as a result of her inquiry. Holodeck For House Crickets provides a safe bubble for the crickets to thrive and interact with one another. The artificial and natural setting provided an environment where the house crickets thrived. It also allowed for an intimate viewing experience that raised awareness about the crickets and their role in the environment.

Love Motel for Insects and Holodeck For House Crickets illustrate how we can utilize art in a non-intrusive manner to create something that gives us insight into the natural world. This type of experiential learning develops our thirst for inquiry and empathy for the environment. Visual arts and the sciences focus on making explorations, discoveries and insights about the world around us. The scientific method and the process that an artist embarks on are not too dissimilar. Scientists and the artists establish their subject matter via an inquiry based process. They both research their subject matter extensively, pay close attention to details, make diagrams and sketches, work with a variety of materials, test their hypothesis (the artist makes studies in the studio while the scientist conducts experiments in the lab) and revise their project(s) as needed. The arts make scientific analysis and data more personal because artistic expression creatively encapsulates the human experience on a social and emotional level. When the two disciplines are combined in the classroom, students develop habits of mind that make them creative problem solvers and innovators while working on an issue that they find value in.

Art educators can effectively collaborate with science educators to create a learning segments that combine the artistic process with the scientific method. For example, looking at work by Brandon Ballengée and Amy Youngs, and studying ecosystems, students can create their own unique eco-art projects that include making aesthetic and hospitable habitats for local wildlife.